This application is related to the following five applications and patents concurrently filed directed to a tape feeding, cutting and ejecting apparatus for a mailing machine: Ser. No. 08/203,130, for Method for Preventing Jams in a Tape Ejecting Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,214, for Method for Initializing a Tape Feeding, Cutting and Ejection Apparatus for a Mailing Machine; Ser. No. 08/203,459, for Method for Controlling Speed in a Tape Feeding, Cutting and Ejection Apparatus for a Mailing Machine; Ser. No. 08/203,130, for Method for Control of Length of Imprint for a Mailing Machine; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,484, for Method and Apparatus for Cutting Mailing Machine Roll Tape, all assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
In addition it is related to the following applications Ser. No. 180,161 and Ser. No. 180,168 for Tape Feeding, Cutting and Ejecting Apparatus for a Mailing Machine filed Jan. 11, 1994 and Ser. No. 180,163 for Mailing Machine also filed Jan. 11, 1994, all assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Typically, in known mailing machine tape dispensers the tapes are cut using a solenoid actuated knife arrangement under control of a microcomputer as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,353.
In the mailing machine described in applications Set. No. 180,161 and Ser. No. 180,168, there is shown a rotary knife which is used to sever a roll tape and provide a deflecting lip for directing the cut tape into an exit path. It was found to be desirable to use a one-revolution clutch to disengage the motor from the knife so that the motor allows the knife to perform its cut in less than one revolution.